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SENATE,  Jan.  9,  1864.— Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Military 
AfFairs  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 

[Presented  by  Mr.  Lyons.] 


LETTEK  FROM  CM.  WISE. 

Hkadquarters  6th  MruTARY  District,      J 

Department  Sou*h  Carolina,  Georgia  and  Florida,  > 

January  3,  1&64.  ) 

To  Hon.  Jas.  Lyons,  John  R.  Chambliss  and  others, 

Of  the  Virginia  Delegation  in  Congress  : 

Gentlemen — I  respectfully  ask  you  to  represent  me  as  endorsing, 
without  re^^erve.the  memori;il  of  'lenerals  llardee,  Stevenson  and  other 
officers,  dated  Decerabpr  17th,  ISGo,  from  the  "Army  of  Tennessee," 
respecting  tbe  army.      A  copy  is  enclosed. 

From  nearly  three  years  experience  in  the  army,  I  can  cordially 
■inite  in  the  policy  they  so  wisely  recommend.  I  respectfully  protest 
against  any  reorganization  of  the  array  by  re-elections.  The  elective 
system,  has  proved  bad.  Not  tbat  any  'better  officers  have  been  ap^ 
pointed  tban  elected  ;  but  I  aver  tbat  tbe  sani-  officer  rltcfid  is  not,^  in 
many  respects,  as  well  ahlf  to  command  as  himself  if  nppo'nted.  Eltc- 
tinn,  and  elecfionecring  destroy  the  efficiency  of  com;:iHnd,  and  the 
power  of  di.^cipline  to  a  creat  extent.  They  were  bad  at  fir.-t  and 
wottW  bo  ten-fold  uwrse  now.  The  reotganization,  at  the  critical 
juncture  of  the  spring  of  1862,  in  its  bid  effects,  was  enough  to  ac- 
count for  many  of  our  del  lys  and  disasters.  So  far  as  I  am  informed 
and  belive,  the  officers  nn<l  iiien  of  my  brigade,  with  but  Uw  excep- 
tions, desire  no  re-organization  and  espcci  lly  none  by  election.  What 
they  want  mo?*t  is  a  thorough  lefnrm  of  the  army  from  its  departments 
down  to  its  piekets,  and  especially  in  its  quartennaster's,  commissa- 
ry's, ordnnnce  officers  and  mediciil  departments. 

Please  have  this  presented  and  referred  ;  and  believe  me,  with   the 
highest  respect. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

HENRY  A  WISE, 
Brig.  Gen.  Commanding,  fyc. 


f 

'1 


Army  of  Tennessee.  Dec.  17,  186."5. 

To  the  Congress  o(  {'it  Lonjokrate  States : 

In  the  existingr  condition  of  affairs,  it  is  hoped  your  honorable 
bodies  will  pardon  the  variance  from  custom,  of  addressing  you  from 
the  army.  It  is  done  in  no  spirit  of  dictation,  hut  under  the  conscien- 
tious conviction  that  tlie  nece.-isitics  of  the  country  demand  the  voict. 
and  labors  of  all,  and  that  delay,  even  for  thirty  d.iys,  in  enacting 
proper  measures,  may  m^ke  present  disorders  incurable  and  the  dan- 
geis  of  the  moment  omnipotent  for  our  destruction. 

In  (»ur  (tpiuion.  it  is  essential  to  retain,  for  the  toiiu  ol'  during  the 
war,  without  re-organizatiou,  the  troops  now  in  service;  to  place  in 
service  iuimetliat.elv.  for  the  same  term,  all  other  white  males,  between 
eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age,  al  le  to  perfoim  any  military  drty ;  to 
provitle  for  placing  in  service,  at  the  discretion  of  the  Preisdent,  for 
the  same  term,  all  white  males  between  fifteen  and  eigthteen,  and 
b'etw  en  fifty  and  sixty  years  of  age  ;  to  prohibit  substitution  ;  to  pro- 
hibit exemptions,  except  for  the  necessary  civil  offices  and  employ- 
ments of  the  Co!if;derate  States  and  the  several  States;  to  prohibit 
details  except  for  limited  periods,  and  for  carrying  on  works  essential 
to  the  army  ;  to  prohibit  discharges  except  in  cas  s  of  permanent  dia- 
ab|Jiiy  from  all  duty  ;  to  prohibit  leaves  and  furloughs,  except  under 
uniform  rules  ol  universal  application,  based,  as  far  as  practicable,  on 
length  of  service  and  meritorious  conduct ;  to  prohibit,  to  the  greatest 
possible  exten',  the  detail  of  able-bodied  officers  and  men  to  post, 
hospital,  or  other  interior  duty;  and  to  place  in  service,  as  cooks, 
laborers,  teamsters  and  hospital  attendants,  with  the  army  and  else- 
rhere,  able-bodied  negroes  and  mullattoes,  bond  and  free. 

These  measures,  we  tliink,  if  promptly  enacted  as  laws,  so  as  to 
give  tiii;e  for  organizing  and  disciplining  the  new  meterial,  would 
make  our  armies  invincible  at  the  opening  of  the  campaign  of  next 
year,  and  enable  us  to  win  ba.ck  our  lost  territory  and  conquer  a  peace 
before  that  campaign  shall  be  ended. 

We  beg  further  to  suggest  that,  in  our  opinion,  the  dissatisfactions, 
apprrhenied  or  existing,  from  short  rations,  depreciated  currency,  and 
the  reteuti(m  of  old  soldiers  in  the  service,  might  be  obviated  by  al- 
lowing bounties,  with  discriminations  in  favor  of  the  retained  troops, 
an  increase  of  pay,  the  commutation  to  enlisted  men  of  rations  not 
issued,  and  rations,  or  the  value  thereof,  to  oflacers. 
We  have  the  honor  to  be.  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant.'?, 

W.  J.  HARDEE,  Lieutenant  General. 
C.  L.  STEVENSOJS,  Major  General. 
B.    F.   CHEATHAM,  Mfijor  General. 
JOHN  C    BIIECKINRIDGE,  Major  General. 
JOHN  C.  BROWN,   Brigadier  General. 
EDMUND  W.  PETTUS,  Brigadier  General. 
A.   VV.  REYNOLDS,  Brigadier  General. 
JOHN  K.  JACKSON,  Brigadier  General. 


